Take Her to Sea
by CheyRose
Summary: The Veronica Mars characters converted to passangers on board the Titanic. Who has a secret? Who will discover it? Most importantly, who will live and die after the ill-fated ship strikes an ice berg?
1. Chapter 1

Take her to Sea.

Chapter One

AN- I know some people continue to read "Broken", and I do appreciate all of the views and reviews I have gotten. I have not abandoned that story, I've just had a difficult time completing this next chapter. I know exactly how that story will end and so, I cannot abandon it.

This story has come out of an insane amount of "Titanic" re-watching, lack of sleep and caffeine, and sanity. It's set back in 1912, placing at least a chunk of the VM characters on the Titanic. I want to make it less crack-y and more realistic within obvious boundaries, so please bear with me. Reviews and views are, as always, greatly appreciated.

Some lines and general plottage will match the movie but the large part of the plot won't be the same as Veronica is not quite Rose and there is no Jack character in this story. A little bit of it is based on the Youtube VM/Pride and Prejudice trailer. It's all over the place but I hope you do like how it's all being weaved together!

Also, names and jobs may be slightly changed to fit the period, unless I couldn't think of anything better. In which case, feel free to make suggestions!

_A quick glance at the characters, who are separated into groups below:_

_The Mars Family:_

_Consisting of Keith, Lianna and Veronica. Keith, a former detective with Scotland Yard, is returning to the US with his family after being disgraced in the UK following the investigation of Lilly Kane's murder. His wife, Lianna, is a struggling alcoholic, who wishes to marry off their daughter, Veronica, to a rich American gentleman traveling with them. Veronica, a fiery young woman who was deeply hurt by her friend's death but is just as loyal to her father, wants no part of this._

_The Kane Family:_

_Jacob Kane heads this family of three. He was previously engaged to Lianna before she married Keith for love, and he married Celeste and had two children, Lilly and Duncan with her. Jacob owns the Kane Steel Mill is Pittsburgh, and recently, his daughter Lilly died overseas under suspicious circumstances. Keith suspected Jacob, but lost his job trying to prove as much. Duncan and Veronica courted in England, but they haven't spoken much in a long while._

_The Echolls Family:_

_Aaron Echolls and his wife, Lynn, are the first moving picture stars in the world. Commonly seen in most nickelodeons worldwide, the pair are returning to the United States with their son, Logan, to resume work after holiday. Logan previously courted Lilly Kane, and he is Duncan's best friend. He has grown to loathe the Mars family following the investigation. _

_The Casablancas Family:_

_Richard Casablancas, a real estate tycoon and his sons, Richard Junior and Cassidy are returning from work in France. Richard has brought his mistress, Madame Banques along with them, much to his sons' chagrin._

_Others:_

_Stefan Piznarski, Veronica's betrothed. His father owns an automobile company, and he has been in love with Veronica since he first laid eyes on her._

_Donald Lamb: The master-at-arms on board the ship. _

_Eliott Navarro: A young Spanish pick-pocket making his way to American wallets._

_Cindy Mackenzie: A second class girl, who happens to be very technologically advanced for her day._

_Meg Manning: A young, first class girl traveling back to the US with her family after working in the UK for their church._

_Wallace Fennel: A member of the only colored family on Titanic, he is traveling with his mother and younger brother trying to make a new life in New York._

_As Veronica stepped from the car that had transported her to the docks, she felt like chains were being slapped around her ankles. Some months ago, she would have been glad to go back to America and be at home after five long years in England. But she hadn't wanted to run away from all of the negativity that surrounded Lilly's death, after a point. She'd wanted to stand her ground but after several months with Keith unemployed, Lianna couldn't bear the shame any more._

_Suddenly there was Stefan, and they exchanged awkward, rehearsed smiles as he helped her down. She wasn't sure what to say. The ship was huge, as big as people had been claiming and then some and sure, it was impressive. But the minute she stepped foot on it, she was doomed to this unhappy life and this man and a marriage she had no say in. So when her parents and Stefan all looked at her for her opinion, she simply shrugged. "I don't see what all the fuss is about."_

"_Your daughter is far too difficult to please," Stefan remarked to Lianna, who laughed nervously, shooting her daughter daggers before she faced the monstrous vessel. "So, this is the ship they say is unsinkable."_

_Before Stefan could repeat the paper headlines enthusiastically, Keith nodded and helped his wife past the cars as their luggage was seen to. "That's the idea. We can think of it as a hotel on water for the next couple of days, hmm?"_

_Stefan routed the luggage through the White Star Line men and then lead them and their servants to the gangway to help them board. The servants were all hired by him and his father and the arrangements on the ship of course were largely paid by him. Keith certainly had a savings but they would have been separated by third and first classes if he had paid their fare, and they all knew Lianna would sooner throw herself off of the ship._

_Arriving in her private stateroom with her maid, Veronica was finally a little bit free, and she unpacked with the older woman. Dinner was in a couple of hours and so, for the time being, she went to stand on her private promenade deck and watched all of the people on the docks watching them as the ship was preparing to depart. And she knew Lilly would have loved that damn thing if she could have been there._

_Rushing onto the boat deck to look down on the groups of people on the docks, Duncan and Logan laughed as they bumped into people. Logan lifted himself slightly against the railing to look down at all of the people. "Oh my God. Look at all of them, they look like mice from here!"_

"_It's crazy, but we belong here." Duncan responded, looking up at the smokestack nearest them as the ship's horn sounded. They started waving down to the people below. "Goodbye, I'll miss you!"_

"_I'll never forget you!" Logan yelled between laughs, and they hurried to the starboard side to watch the kickback of the water as the ship lifted anchor and was tugged out to sea. They were soon met by several of their friends, and they watched with wonder as everything started to move away._

_After several minutes, Logan elbowed Duncan to look to another area of the railing where Stefan was explaining the propellers to Lianna. "Hey Duncan, it's that fellow your ex is all set to walk down the aisle with."_

_Duncan shrugged, but didn't look away right away. "So?"_

"_I wonder if anyone's told him how crazy that whole family is."_

"_Leave it alone, Logan."_

"_I think we owe it to Lilly." His friend responded quietly, his fingers clenching the railing, to which Duncan shook his head. _

"_If Lilly were here she'd be thrilled that Veronica was engaged. She'd have the whole wedding planned by now." _

_That much Logan couldn't deny and it made his gut wrench, to think he had missed out on the chance to marry Lilly himself. He watched Lianna threaten sea-sickness, or so she called it, and she ran off. Stefan paused and noticed them staring, waved nervously, to which only Duncan waved back. He left again soon, and the whole group of young men winced when Aaron Echolls approached._

"_Come on along, gentleman. We all want to look our best for dinner, don't we?"_

_At Cherbourg, the Casablancas family boarded the ship. Richard and his two sons were good friends of Logan and Duncan and all of their friends, but they were even stunned when Richard senior stepped on with a long, legged brunette who would only respond to being called Madame Banques. When their friends questioned them about her, Richard junior and Cassidy would shudder and wave it off._

_With them came the Astors and Margaret Brown, and they arrived some time during dinner, so none of them ate with anyone else. In the first class dining room, Logan and several of his friends passed Veronica and tipped imaginary hats with snickers, and she sat staring at her place setting, wishing desperately for someone to rip off her corset and let her be._

_Early the next morning they picked up mail and a few more passengers in Queenstown , Ireland, and then they were off to New York with no further stops keeping them from home._


	2. Chapter 2

Take Her to Sea

Chapter Two

AN- Thanks for the positive feedback so far! It should be meatier and such as I go and hopefully it'll flow a bit better that way! Also apologies for the all italics, I only meant for the character information to be in that font.

Also, I know the idea is a little on the odd side so it does get crack-y. I hope it'll be a fun little rush! There may be more and more Titanic bits in certain areas, like the next bit, but it's just to set them up on the ship and to set up the current events and such. I do have plans for pretty much weaving the entirety of Season 1 into this story.

Briefly, since I'll get into it here. I realize that while several characters in the original show used drugs off screen, their social habits generally weren't shown to be all that horrible. Several characters in this will be smoking, and while I myself don't partake or like it, it was commonplace back during the turn of the century.

* * *

After dinner that night, once Stefan had toddled off to the first class smoking room, Veronica had immediately made her way up to the boat deck. The air was cold, and crisp, and she wished, briefly, that she had brought a coat. But the small, mindless chatter and the women her mother socialized with were driving her mad. Lianna meant well, Veronica knew she only wanted her to have a better life than she had had. But it was quickly becoming a life the petite blonde wanted to escape.

She was leaning against the railing on the stern of the ship, gazing down at the water, imagining the propellers spinning. She didn't heart footsteps to alert her to someone else being there and by the time she felt anyone's hands on her, it was too late. She was spun to face the other way and suddenly her back was pressed to the railing. She almost shrieked, but a hand covered her mouth, and finally her eyes focused in on Logan's face above her.

"So are you proud?" He asked, his voice was thick and harsh in the cold air. Veronica stared up at him, blue eyes wide, but his hand remained on her mouth. "Your father tried to crucify Jacob Kane, and for what? What would Lilly have thought of that? We loved Lilly. Lilly loved _you."_ He pressed harder against her so that her back bent and she choked on a sob as she felt the bare, empty air underneath her. It was a dark, long fall into the freezing water below and at night with the ship moving like it was, no one would ever know.

Logan watched the terror in her face and he lifted his hand from her mouth, grasping her upper arms in both of his hands. "Say something, you filth. You turned your back on all of us." He pressed her back more and she screamed at the top of her lungs.

"HELP ME! SOMEBODY!"

Suddenly there were heavy footsteps and she noticed a dark figure just before he slammed into Logan. The forced jarred her backwards. She hit the railing and had the wind knocked out of her. No sooner had she hit the deck than several uniformed officers came running onto the stern. One immediately came to help her try to breathe, and the others rushed to where Logan and the stranger were wrestling.

"Get OFF OF ME!"

"What's this then?" One of the officers asked, tugging the stranger away. Logan took one look at the man, a Hispanic with ratty clothes, and he glared.

"This lunatic was trying to throw Miss Mars off the ship!"

"No!" The stranger yelled. "He try!"

"Fetch the Master-At-Arms!"

One of the sailors took off and Veronica finally started getting some oxygen. Logan came to her side and patted her shoulder. "There, there. I'll go get Stefan."

She wanted to spit in his face, but he was gone as fast as he was there. Stefan, Keith and the Master-At-Arms all arrived at just about the same moment. And Stefan went right for the stranger nearby, as the Master-At-Arms raised him to handcuff him. "What made you think you could put your hands on my fiancee?"

"Stefan," She finally managed as Keith pulled her into his arms. "It was an accident."

Everyone sort of looked at one another to see if they had any more insight before Veronica continued. "I was leaning over to look at the propellers and…I slipped. And I would have gone over but Mr, uh…"

"Navarro."

"Mr. Navarro here saved me, and would have gone over himself."

"She wanted to see the propellers," Stefan said in a breathless, incredulous voice. He took his coat off to drape on her shoulders. "You must be freezing, let's get you inside."

Veronica glanced once more at Mr. Navarro as the cuffs were removed, and followed Stefan and Keith inside. Just as they were walking through the corridor they ran into Duncan, who had clearly just talked to Logan and was coming to check on her. They met gazes for a brief moment before she was lead off to go prepare for bed.

* * *

Sitting at her mirror Veronica's eyes lifted to the door as a knock sounded. She set her hair brush aside and Stefan entered, something tucked under his arm. "I know you've been melancholy. I don't pretend to know why." He moved to sit on the stand in front of her, and opened the black, wooden box for her, revealing the 56 carat blue diamond, surrounded by clear diamonds on a small chain. "I had intended to save this for the engagement gala next week."

"Good gracious," Anything that big and sparkly would make anyone's heart jump in their chest, she had to tell herself that. She reached her palm to touch it and it was cold under her hand. Stefan lifted it from the case.

"Is it a…?" She thought a sapphire, but his response surprised her.

"Diamond, yes." He slipped it around her neck and fastened it, and Veronica's heart beat all of the faster. "It was worn by Louis the Sixteenth, and they called it the Coeur de la Mer. The…"

"Heart of the Ocean."

"Yes."

"It's stunning."

"Well, it's for royalty. And we ARE royalty. There's nothing I couldn't give you, and nothing I would deny you," He paused and turned his head from her reflection to look her. Their eyes met, and it was one of those moments, rare as they were, when Veronica saw something in him that she could love. Not the part of him giving her a gift such as that. But a part of him that reached out to her through his eyes in tender moments like this. She could love that, but the gifts were often just too much and he wasn't always like this.

"Oh, open your heart to me, Veronica."

She swallowed, feeling pain at the expression in his eyes now, and she looked back to the mirror, touching the larger stone once more. Maybe there was merit here, but she wasn't sure two months would be enough time to salvage it. She wasn't sure what to do. Or how the necklace was supposed to help her decide, but after a night like that, she didn't think she could make a real decision without sleep.

* * *

"Oh come on, Duncan!"

"She could have been KILLED!" Logan flinched when his friend screamed it, and they stared at one another for a moment. "You had her dangling out over the North Atlantic, what makes you think any part of that is remotely okay? You think Lilly would have wanted you to kill Veronica?"

Logan glared at him at that, stepping to open a decanter of whiskey nearby, the warmth of the fireplace in his stateroom burning past his clothes. He poured a small glass and swallowed it, and shook his head. "It's not even about that, it's about what she did. What her father did. To YOUR father."

"We're way past that at this point, Logan," Duncan had lit a cigarette and taken several small puffs of it. "That's the whole reason they're shipping us back, it's over. Lilly is dead and rotting in her casket in the cargo hold and we just…we need to move on. Veronica has. So we should, too."

Logan watched him and scoffed. "I don't really think that counts, you know. They're icy."

"What? Icy?"

"Around each other."

"Oh," Duncan nodded. "Yes, I know. You know the whole thing was…."

"Lianna's idea." They chimed in unison. Both glanced at one another and grinned. Logan moved across the room to snatch Duncan's cigarette and took a long drag on it, puffing the smoke out in blue-grey clouds. He passed it back and moved to flop onto the couch. "I'm sleeping here tonight, my dad drank all of my booze already, I bet."

Duncan rolled is eyes and stubbed the butt out in an ashtray. "I'm going to bed, then."

* * *

The next afternoon Veronica ventured into the third class general area and found the man who had saved her, Elliott Navarro. They meandered over the first class promenade, oblivious to the officers around there. Talked about how he had been brought up, how he was going to the US to make a living. They talked about Logan, and Lilly's death.

Eventually Lianna showed up with her lady friends, the Countess of Rothes and the most unwelcome Margaret "Molly" Brown. Veronica was so put on the spot that she offered to have Elliott down in the first class dining room for dinner, and Molly immediately offered to dress him as Lianna dragged her daughter off to go get dressed.

Coming down the Grand Staircase, Veronica was relieved that Stefan was escorting her mother and Keith was escorting Lady Duff Gordon. She had a few moments to herself, and she was more than surprised at how Elliott had cleaned up when she saw him. They walked to the dining room and she explained Madeleine Astor's delicate condition and everyone else's dirty little secrets. Just as they were about to break the threshold, Logan, Duncan, Richard and Cassidy showed up.

And they stood there staring at her. Truth be told, dinner was not an occasion to dress lightly for the dress had been the centerpiece of several that Stefan had paid for. But she hadn't expected that reaction from at least three of the four of them. Molly led Elliott inside, and Veronica crossed her arms self consciously. "Did you need something?"

"Um," Duncan blinked and shook it off. "Logan…"

"…is sorry," Logan finished. Lifting his eyes from the shimmery wine-colored dress to her face. Something in Veronica's stomach twisted and she shook her head, breaking her gaze from him. "I don't care. I have a guest for dinner and…"

"We're sitting with you so, no need to hurry off." Richard told her, offering his arm.

She declined it and moved to go sit down. She helped Elliott survive her mother's menacing glares and saw him off when she was finished eating. Richard Senior, Aaron, Jacob, Stefan and several other men went off to the smoking room, and Logan and Duncan dragged Veronica to her feet and to the ornate clock on the stairs, where Elliott was waiting.

"I don't get it, what do you all want?"

"Elliott here is going to take us to a real party."


	3. Chapter 3

Take Her to Sea

Chapter Three

AN- Just because I realized just now that the film did it, the 11th of April has been skipped in this story because it was uneventful. The night Elliott saved Vee would have been the 12th instead. I apologize for the confusion, guys.

* * *

The trip below decks was a sneaky one. They couldn't use the lifts since they would be stopped for going down to E deck looking like first class passengers, so they were forced to run the stairs. While Veronica was grateful for Elliott's assistance the previous night, she did find it strange that he had invited Logan. However she was distracted as soon as they reached E deck and Elliot lead them to a party that was already in full swing. Kegs of beer were all around and an Irish band was playing on the stage.

Logan and Duncan were drinking glasses of the beer before they knew it, and Veronica sat to watch Elliott dance with his niece. She too ended up with a glass of the dark brew, and halfway through it, somehow, she was on her feet dancing with some stranger. She tried to mimic his steps as best as she could, and he grabbed her to swing her around. A few moments of wild abandon and suddenly someone else was catching her, and Veronica nearly fell anyhow when she looked up into Logan's face.

Their eyes met, briefly, before he swept her up to dance as well. The long standing anger between them was forgotten as they glided around. Unfamiliar with any of it, but too happy to be out of their normal confines to care. It felt like something Lilly would get them in to. And by the time the song ended, Veronica was back on a chair, her feet sore. Duncan handed her his half-finished cigarette before he went to attempt to arm wrestle some of the others.

Glancing around, and catching her breath, Veronica realized that Elliott was gone. And she assumed he had to go be sick or was just too tired to keep up with them. Ten minutes later, she saw how wrong she was when Mr. Echolls and a couple of his valets were coming down into the room with angry faces. She jumped to her feet just as Logan was hauled back upstairs, and the gentleman escorted her and Duncan back up, too. Her parents and Stefan were asleep, and so, she thought she was safe.

Changing with the help of her maid, she slipped into bed and thought about the way Logan's eyes had burned through her when they had been in one another's arms. And she wondered if it was sort of the same spark she saw in Stefan's when he grew some sense of humility, or tenderness. She drifted off to sleep as the ship scooted along the chilly waters of the Atlantic, unaware of the path that fate was taking her down at the same time.

* * *

At seven AM, April 14th, 1912, Veronica was roused from her sleep by her maid, and she joined Stefan on their private promenade deck for breakfast. The spread was all set out and once she was seated, she grabbed her cup of tea to sip on. Stefan watched her, and once the maid was gone, he directed a gaze at her. "I had hoped you would come to me, last night."

Veronica paused mid sip, but quickly got her act together and set her cup on it's saucer. She offered him a flaky smile. "I was tired."

Stefan nodded his agreement, his voice a little sharp, but still quiet. "Your exertions below deck were no doubt exhausting."

She paused again, setting the cup and saucer on the little wicker table. Stefan's jealousy could sometimes be overwhelming, even for her. And with the fun she had had on her own for a single hours the previous night, she wasn't about to apologize to him. "Ah, I see that you had a chat with that undertaker of a celebrity. How typical."

Stefan was not phased by her, and, in fact, he looked more like a father chastising his child than a potential husband. His eyes were briefly downcast, as if he were ashamed of her and his words were clear and quick to the point. "You will never behave like that again, Veronica. Do you understand?"

Veronica considered it, and took a slow breath. It was bold, to talk back. But she couldn't keep it to herself at that point. "I'm not a foreman in one of your father's plants that you can command. I'm your fiancee." She lifted her gaze to him, hoping she'd be able to reason with him on that.

She was wrong.

"My fiancee," Stefan lost the calm, collected cool he had had a moment ago and shook the table, causing her to gasp. "My FIANCEE! Yes, you are, and my wife!" With that, he stood and flipped the table out from between them, watching her face shift into terror as he walked across the shatter dishes and food to grasp her chair and bend down level with her. "My wife in practice if not yet by law so you will HONOR me. You will honor me as a wife is required to honor her husband. Because I will not be made a fool of."

He left her to drop to her knees in her pretty dressing gown as the maid came in to help her clean up. And she realized any dream she had had of freedom from Stefan's grip, was completely unrealistic.

* * *

Lianna had insisted that they all go to church that day. Keith had drug Stefan up onto A deck to have a chat about the table throwing incident, where no doubt he'd remind his future son-in-law that he slept with a gun under his pillow. And Veronica was slow to prepare. Still in her dressing gown when a knock sounded at the door. Her maid quickly went to fetch it and she came out just as Trudy was showing in Cindy Mackenzie and Madeleine Astor.

"Miss Mars," Madeleine hurried over and Veronica's stomach twisted slightly, but she gently took her hand when the girl her age approached. "We've heard….about what happened, with Stefan this morning…"

"I take it the whole ship knows, then." Veronica replied gently with a soft smile.

Cindy smiled in return and asked, "Do you know Benjamin Guggenheim will gladly have him thrown overboard? If he's unkind to you?"

Veronica laughed softly and moved to pat her hand as well. "I'm all right, I promise. It was just…a spousal thing. Don't worry about me."

"We can't stay, but we'll see you in the Dining Saloon soon." They exchanged hugs as another knock sounded and Trudy showed them out. Veronica had gone to light a cigarette when she showed in Aaron Echolls, dressed in his Sunday best. Veronica had just turned around as the door was shut behind him and she exhaled with surprise.

"Can't say I was expecting you," She remarked. Aaron walked closer as Trudy excused herself and he took the butt from her mouth and raised it to his own.

"This really isn't any good for a lady, Miss Mars."

"What do you want?"

"I want for you to be at peace," She tilted her head, her brow furrowing when she said that, and so he walked across the room to the fireplace, staring into the heat. "I know the past several weeks have been difficult for you, with Lilly's death and your engagement to Mr. Piznarski. They've been difficult on my Logan too, so I can forget what I saw last night."

"What you saw….?"

"I'm not quite finished," He said sharply, turning to look at her. "Your poor father lost his good standing back in good old England because he was so sure that Jacob had killed his own daughter."

"My father…."

"Was wrong," Aaron chimed in before she would finish. And she stared at him like he was crazy for thinking he knew. And so he smiled. "Oh, Veronica, you think Jacob had any reason to kill one of his children? He wasn't a bad father. He cared about his kids." He took a heavy drag on the cigarette and paced the room. "She became a problem though, because of her nosiness. Because of her wanton behavior. She was going to tell my wife."

Veronica nearly felt her knees give out from under her, and she stared at him, without saying a single word. All this time, and Logan's father was saying…could he really be saying what it seemed that he was about to tell her?"

"Lynn is delicate. She's not strong enough to hear such a thing, and it wasn't only once or twice."

"You…you defiled her?"

"She wanted me, Veronica. And then she wanted more than she deserved, so I shut up for good."

Was he insane! He was just telling her this out of the blue. Instincts on red alert, Veronica moved to try to outrun him but the frilly garment was easy to trip over and she was nervous as it was. He grabbed her arm as she tried to run past him and nearly pulled her to her knees. "Oh Veronica, even if you tell, who will believe you? You've just been caught being a very, very naughty girl."

"My father will believe me. He will. And he'll ruin you."

"Everyone will be at church services soon, I'll throw you over the railing and no one will ever know where you went."

And that much was true. Veronica whimpered as he released her arm and went toward the door, stubbing the cigarette out in the carpet. "I'm sure I'll see you soon, Veronica, dear. Very, very soon."

For a long moment, she sat on the floor, and Trudy came in, bending to gently touch her face. Veronica realized her hand was like ice. "Come, Miss Veronica. We need to get you ready. Don't want your mum yelling at us now, do we?"

"No," Veronica agreed. She stood slowly with Trudy's aid and followed her into the bedroom to finish getting ready.

* * *

"Tea, Trudy."

Trudy had been about halfway done with tightening Veronica's corset, with the younger woman holding a bed post past the pain and jerking when Lianna entered. She immediately moved to take the maid's place as she left, tightening the cords much harder than Trudy had been, her hands clearly showing her anger.

"You're not to see those boys again, Veronica. Do you understand me?" Veronica didn't reply. "Veronica? I forbid it."

"Oh, stop it, mother." Veronica said sharply. "You'll give yourself a nose bleed." Her mother turned her around.

"This is not a game. Our situation is precarious. You know the money's gone."

"Of course I do, you remind me every day." Veronica snapped.

"Your father has brought us nothing but a legacy of bad debts hidden by a good name. That name is the only card we have to play. I don't understand you, it's a fine match with Piznarski, it will ensure our survival." Even as she spoke, Veronica could smell the gin on her breath and she retreated with her back against the bed post.

"How can you put this on my shoulders?"

"Why are you being so selfish?"

"I'M being selfish?"

Suddenly, Lianna's eyes watered up and Veronica groaned. Drink tears, Keith used to call them. All that alcohol needing to escape from some part of her. Still, Veronica always wondered how real they may be. "Do you want to see me working as a seamstress? Is that what you want? To see our fine things sold at auction?" Her voice teared up more and more and Veronica dropped her gaze, feeling guilty. "Our memories scattered to the wind?"

Veronica licked her lips and sighed, her eyes still averted. "It's so unfair."

"Of course it is. We're women. Our choices are never easy." Lianna turned back to kiss her head and turned her to resume tugging her corset on tighter, continuing to jerk Veronica around even though the matter had seemingly been resolved.

* * *

"This makes no sense," Logan grumbled to Duncan as they trudged down the stairs toward the dining saloon, hearing the singing distantly. "We can't just be banned from a service in a part of the ship that we have free range of."

"Sure we can, if Piznarski's got enough money to keep us out."

Logan looked at him. "What the hell is up with him anyway? He's acting like we shit in his bed!"

"Logan!" Duncan was appalled by his use of the horrible curse words, and clearly so were the couples they were passing on the way down. Duncan shook his head and dragged Logan off to the side. "Clearly he felt threatened by our spending time with Veronica."

Logan became quiet at that, scuffing his foot a little on the carpet. "Well that makes no sense."

"Sure it does, it means she doesn't love him." They stopped suddenly when a pretty face appeared in front of them.

"Mr. Echolls? Mr. Kane?"

"Uh. Hello." Logan said, eyeing her curiously. She was their age, blonde, with brown eyes and a sweet, pink smile. A bible lay in one of her hands.

"They said you might try to come down here but I've been asked to give you your gospel reading and sing some hymns with you up on the boat deck. Mr. Piznarski would like to worship this morning without either of your company."

"How convenient for him," Logan muttered, but opted to follow her anyway when two stewards with twenty dollar bills sticking out of their pockets spotted them and started to walk their way. Duncan had long since forgotten Veronica, his eyes steady on the missionary walking with them while Logan kept glancing at, seeing just a glimpse of her singing from a hymnal with a royal blue dress on.

He really didn't like that Piznarski kid now.


	4. Chapter 4

Take Her To Sea

Chapter Four

AN- I just wanted to thank all of you again for your reviews and story alerts. I was so worried when I started working on this that people wouldn't bother reading since it's been adapted from a film set 100 years before V's time. I'll be free styling a lot more in this chapter and the ship striking the 'berg will give V and Keith a chance for some good father/daughter time.

One correction, I realized while going through the chapter selection that April 11th is in fact covered in the film, it's the scenes with Rose and gang at lunch with Mr. Andrews and Mr. Ismay. "Do you know of Dr. Freud Mr. Ismay? His ideas about the male preoccupation with size may be of some particular interest to you." and Jack spotting her from the poop deck and being transfixed. It wasn't included in the story since Logan was not feeling so kindly about her at the time and it felt unnecessary to further discuss Veronica and "Piz/Stefan"'s relationship.

* * *

Veronica trailed her hand lightly on the helm of the ship as Captain Smith chattered with Stefan and Lianna. She was bored, rather uninterested in knowing how the slave ship worked, and then a crew member hurried to the captain to hand him a slip of paper from the Marconi receiving room. "Sir, another ice warning. This one's from the _Noordam_."

"Thank you, Sparks." The captain looked up and saw the concerned expression that was quickly pulling at Veronica's mouth and he smiled. The old man had a kind face, a gentle smile that almost made her feel safe. "Oh, not to worry. Quite normal for this time of year. In fact, we're speeding up. I've just ordered the last boilers lit."

As they walked along the boat deck, Lianna and Stefan stared at the boats with bored expressions, whereas Veronica was more interested than she had been in the wheelhouse. "You see," Mr. Andrews explained, "Boats 1 and 2 are cutters, and they each hold about 40 people. Boats 3 through 16 are a bit larger, they were tested in Belfast with the weight of seventy men held safely, but since everyone is different in size and such we set their capacity at about 65. And then collapsible boats A, B, C and D hold about 47 passengers each."

They walked a few moments and Veronica looked at him, "Forgive me, I did the sum in my head and….it doesn't seem that there are enough boats for everyone on board."

"Only about half," Mr. Andrews said with a sad sigh. "Originally I had designed her with these new davits that would have taken another row of boats next to this one but it was thought the deck would look too cluttered."

"It's a waste of deck space as it is on an unsinkable ship," Stefan muttered, loud enough so that they'd all hear.

"Sleep soundly, Veronica. I have built you a good ship. Strong and true. This way will be the engine room."

As Veronica moved to follow, she became aware of a hand on her arm, and gazed back to see Logan standing there. Her eyes widened and she looked back to where the others were in panic, but before she could hurry after them, Logan pulled her into the gymnasium.

"Logan, if they…they're going to lose their minds. I need to get back to the tour."

"No, we need to talk. I don't know what that asshole's problem is, but this is ridiculous. I didn't do anything to you…."

"You mean aside from that exercise in nudging me toward the air chasing the stern?"

"I wasn't going to push you off the ship, Veronica." He crossed his arms. "And I'm sorry. I don't…when Lilly died it seemed like…"

Veronica sighed, leaning back against the wall of the gymnasium. "When Lilly died, a little piece of us all died. I wasn't turning my back on everyone else, I just needed to support my father. My mother was horrible, and so was everyone else." He looked alarmed, disgusted by that and Veronica added. "I'm not saying he was right to accuse, Logan. He was only trying to do his job, not start a war."

"You know, Duncan always thought you'd marry him."

"I used to think that too," Veronica couldn't help but be stung by the insinuation a little. She played it off well enough. "But I'm marrying Stefan. I love Stefan."

Logan seemed stung by that as well, and she wasn't really sure why. He glanced away and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his trousers. For a moment Veronica watched his face, turned in profile, his hair slicked back on his head, and his eyes burning with thought. Sun beams trickled over his cheek whenever someone walked past the window. "You know, you're no picnic. You're a spoiled brat, sometimes."

She laughed at that, shaking her head. "Yeah, that doesn't really fit. I've only recently gotten to see what wealth is like. I'd be down in first class if it weren't for…"

"I have money. My name is good." She looked up at him, surprised. Speechless, even. And he knew he was getting there. "Veronica, you're the most amazingly, astounding, wonderful girl…woman that I have ever known."

Suddenly her heart was beating like a drum in her chest and the beat seemed so unfamiliar. Like a wild Indian song. She could only stare up at him as he spoke to her. And finally managed to speak. "I should go…"

"Let me finish." He stumbled as he tried to block her from leaving yet. "Look, I'm not an idiot. I know how the world works. I've been a real…jackass to you all this time and I know it wasn't right…My dad doesn't like you much and I know your mother would squash me like a bug if she. . .if we…I'm too involved now. If you jump, I jump. I can't turn away without knowing that you'll be all right."

Veronica cleared her throat, though she was fighting to keep her eyes from misting. "Well, I'm fine. Really. I'll be fine."

"Really?" She just stared at him when he asked, realized in the last few moments he had moved in so that he only had to whisper for her to hear him. "I don't think so. They've got you trapped, Ronnie. And you're gonna die if you don't break free. Maybe not right away because you're strong but," His hand lifted to brush his fingers across her cheek. "Sooner or later that fire that I love about you, Veronica. That fire that I love about you is going to burn out."

Veronica wasn't sure what to think. The night before there had definitely been a spark. The way he looked at her, the feel of his arms as they danced but with this new knowledge plus what his father had revealed to her that morning, she felt like she was on the way to a breakdown. His hand was still warm on her cheek, and his eyes burned into hers. "It's not up to you to save me, Logan."

"You're right. Only you can do that."

Her jaw was trembling and she was fighting so hard not to burst into tears. She swallowed hard and remembered the breakfast table flying across the promenade deck, and she hurriedly took his hand down. "I'm going back, leave me alone."

Without another word she hurried out the door and yelped when she ran into someone coming out of the door. "Oh God," She straightened herself and managed a frightened laugh. "I'm so sorry."

"It's fine," She recognized Cindy Mackenzie quickly, and smiled at her. The other girl returned the gesture. "I was looking for you actually. I might have been doing a little bit of snooping in the Marconi receiving room and there were ice warnings all over the place."

"I'd heard, the captain received one when we were touring," Cindy was a good distraction, if anyone were to come back to find her, they'd know she was with her and not Logan or Duncan. Plus she was great company compared to other women aboard. "Do you think it's serious?"

"It's very hard to tell," Cindy admitted. "I shouldn't like to worry, a patch of ice in comparison to this ship shouldn't cause any terribly serious damage." She glanced at the little blonde and put a hand on her arm. "Miss Mars, you look afright! Are you ill?"

Veronica looked at her and thought, quickly before nodding. "Only slightly. It's nothing serious." She sighed, wrapping her arm around Cindy's as they walked, smiling lightly. "It's very lovely here when no one is around expecting me to behave myself."

"Mmm, I don't have that particular worry, but it is sort of like being on a floating palace." Removing a pocket watch from her bosom, Cindy addressed her new friend with a smile. "It's almost teatime, I agreed to drink with the countess and Lady Duff Gordon."

"Ah, then we can go together, my mother has tea with them every day." They walked to the nearest stairwell to head down to the Café Parisien. They found that the Countess and Lady Duff-Gordon were already there, and so, they took their seats and awaited Lianna's arrival.

She wasn't far behind, and while she looked at her daughter, at first, like she might have done something stupid, Veronica's introduction of Cindy quickly shut her up, on that at least. Just moments into tea she started complaining about having to send the wedding invitations back twice and how Veronica had chosen lavender bridesmaid gowns to spite her.

Veronica could barely manage five words in through the hour. She was watching a little girl at a nearby table, taking direction from her mother. And she was all too reminded of her own life. As soon as tea ended, she patted Cindy's arm and told her she'd see her soon before she hurried off to the smoking room. She wasn't allowed in of course, but she asked where she might find Logan and Duncan came to the door to inform her he was up at the bow of the ship, top deck.

* * *

She ran the stairs and hurried fore to the bow section. It took a little sneaking, the area was gated off, but as soon as she was on the deck she could see him at the front. The goop that had slicked his hair back earlier was washed out and his hair wound bend and wave about in the heavy wind as the ship steamed forward. He was wearing his dress shirt and suspenders but his jacket was gone.

Veronica took a few steps forward so that he would be able to hear her. "Hello, Logan."

He turned, clearly stunned at the sound of her voice, but the corners of his mouth lifted in a small grin. He didn't say anything, he was studying the blue dress and the way it made her eyes sparkle in the golden light of the sunset. She couldn't stop herself from smiling and blushing. "I've changed my mind." She approached even more. "They said you might be up he-.."

"Shh," She seemed taken aback by that, but he smiled at her. "Gimme your hand," She did, and he drew her closer to the railing. There went her heart again, beating out it's special little song. "Now close your eyes." And now she was looking up at him like he was absolutely crazy. "Go on!" She obeyed.

With one hand in hers, and one on her waist, he guided her up. "Now, step up. Onto the rail. Hold onto it, and keep your eyes closed!" She laughed at that but she did as he told her, and he smoothed up against her back, a solid support for her. "Do you trust me?"

"I trust you."

He took her hands from the rail and very, very slowly guided her arms out to her sides. The wind immediately flapped all around her, and she tingled all over with the adrenaline of being in such a precarious situation. Her arms shook a little with it and Logan didn't release her until he was sure she wasn't going to fall over in fear.

He slipped one hand around her waist again and whispered up into her ear. "All right. Open your eyes."

She did, and she gasped. The sun was setting ahead of them, and the water reflected all of it's colors. Red, pink, orange, gold. It was like being on top of the world. Like being a bird in the sky with the wind in her wings, and it was the least chained or caged that she had every felt. Especially since Stefan had come into the picture.

Dimly she became aware that he was singing softly into her ear. "Come, Josephine, in my flying machine going up she goes, up she goes…."

And she laughed, deep in her throat and her belly, at that. A popular song from a year ago, and now here Veronica was. She didn't even need a flying machine, just a floating one. Logan eventually drew her arms into her sides, with his intertwined with them. She wasn't sure how long they had been flying the front of the ship, but it had felt like a blissful eternity. She turned her head and found that his face was right next to hers. Their eyes met, the cool breeze tickled over their skin and they both leaned to press their lips together, locked in their first kiss.

That was the last time Titanic ever saw daylight.


	5. Chapter 5

Take Her to Sea

Chapter Five

AN- I really adore all of you who have been reading and reviewing and subbing, thanks so much! The sinking wont nearly be the end of this story so long as people remain interested.

Sorry this chapter took a little longer, I foolishly joined NaNoWriMo this year and I've been beating myself up over my original story too much to focus on this one.

* * *

The sun was gone, and gliding through ice, the air blowing through the windows on the promenade deck attached to Veronica's room was chilly. Logan quickly closed the window and blew on his hands, rubbing them to try to keep them warm. As he walked into the room he let out a dramatic breath, and Veronica exited the bedroom in a flowy lavender gown. "It's getting cold. You look nice."

Veronica smiled at him and they paused to kiss briefly before she went to scribble out a note to Stefan. She paused, picking up a big, wooden box from the desk. She turned to him, "Could you put this in the safe, in the other room? It's open."

"Mmhm," Ever the curious creature, Logan popped the top of the box and cursed softly under his breath, glancing over at Veronica. "That's nice, what is it, a sapphire?"

"A diamond, a very rare diamond." She finished up with the note as he stuck the box in the safe, and she hurried to place it in on top of it before she closed the safe and spun the lock. She returned to him just as a knock sounded on the outside door to the cabin, and without a thought grabbed his hand.

"Miss Veronica?"

They were out the back door as he entered and he was right on their tails. One of Stefan's lackeys, a big, brooding one with silver hair and dark eyes. They could hardly outrun him, and so it became a game of outwitting him. With Logan, he had his moments, but that was when it really became Veronica's game. Ducking to the elevators and then down a few corridors and into a locked door until they were climbing down into the boilers.

They ran past the workers and into one of the steerage holds. People's things sat all around them, tied up with rope. Even a large, brand new car. Being wealthy as he was, Logan had no use for learning to drive, although cars fascinated him. He hopped up into the front seat and Veronica walked to the back before clearing her throat. He looked questioningly at her at first, and then he grinned and stood.

Opening the back door, he took her hand and carefully helped her up into the back. With that he took off for the front again, sitting in the seat. He honked the horn and looked back at her as she slid the glass window down. "Where to, miss?"

Veronica was flushed from the heat of the boilers, and sweat was beading down her chest, although Logan tried to pretend her didn't notice. His long engagement with Lilly hadn't awarded him more than a few little fumblings in her home whenever her parents were away, and they were fairly innocent in nature, enough to get their friends gossiping later on. His stormy eyes met her icy ones, and she bent a little over the window to whisper into his ear. "To the stars."

Suddenly her arms were pulling him back and he quickly followed their lead. And he found himself cradled against her in the back. Her hair was loose, and damp. And she was warm, and pliant in his arms. He gazed down at her and smiled nervously. "Are you nervous?"

She shook her head decidedly. "No," And she lifted his hand to kiss his fingertips, making him shiver against her. She noticed, and she looked up into his eyes, smiled earnestly. "Put your hands on me, Logan." She whispered gently, reminding him of Stefan's words towards Elliott just a few nights ago. That seemed to set Logan at ease, and he bent to kiss her as she guided his hand to her breast, falling back into the cushiony seat in a heap of exploring limbs and newfound abandon.

* * *

Just as the fireworks were going off for Veronica and Logan, Stefan and his valet had hurried up to Veronica's stateroom to snoop for any evidence of foul play. The young tycoon immediately ran to the safe in the back, and flung it open after he entered the combination. He quickly pulled out the case for the diamond and the note on top of it, glanced curiously at the older man and opened the case. He expected it to be empty, but it shone at him like a bright smile.

And so he unfolded the note, and his stomach twisted a little. It read, _"Darling, now you can keep my heart locked away in your safe. Love, Veronica."_

He had half folded the paper up to toss in the wastebasket when he paused, looking over to the valet. "I've got a better idea."

* * *

Narrowly escaping two of the ship's stewards after quickly re-dressing in the car, the two love birds could hardly contain their laughter as they held hands and swung about the deck in a rhythm less victory dance. It was several moments before Veronica could even breathe enough to speak much less to think to do it, and she clasped both of Logan's hands in hers as she gazed up into his face. "When the ship docks, I'm getting off with you."

Logan made a noise, something between laughter and something a little giddier. "This is insane."

"I know!" Veronica laughed a little more before she sobered. "That's why I trust it." Their eyes were locked yet again and they kissed. Became wrapped up in one another, catching the attention of the men in the crow's nest. As they went on, Veronica dimly realized that a bell was ringing, but she was too wrapped up in Logan's touch to really think much about it.

Inside the bridge of the ship there was a panic to turn the ship "hard-a-starboard", which was actually a hard turn to port on a modern ship of that time. The engines were thrown full astern and reversed, and First Officer William Murdoch watched from the bridge as the ship very slowly inched away from the iceberg that had been spotted. If he would have had another second to think he might have known that hitting it from the front would have caused less damage to the hull, but it was too late.

As the ship hit, there was a terrible screeching and the entire thing shook. Logan and Veronica parted, looking around before the berg was suddenly right along the side of the rail nearest them. They jumped back out of the way as chunks of ice hit the top of the deck, and they looked at one another with concerned expressions as they watched.

With the watertight doors closed and the Captain roused, the ship was stopped. And they watched the giant chunk of ice disappear into the blackness behind them. People were starting to come onto the deck to see what had caused the big noise and the shuddering of the ship, and some people were kicking the chunks of ice around on the deck.

Some members of the crew passed as they discussed the damage, on their way to meet with Mr's Andrews and Ismay, and Logan looked at Veronica, whose face had grown sad, and worried. "This is bad."

She continued to look at the ice. "We should tell my parents and Stefan."

They arrived back on B Deck a few moments later. Little did they know, the Master-At-Arms had already been called. As they walked down the hall, Veronica's hand tightened in Logan's, and they grimaced when they saw the valet standing outside of the door. "We've been looking for you," He informed Veronica, and they shook their heads. He was a crafty fellow, and quietly slipped the necklace into Logan's coat pocket without his noticing.

As they walked in, Lianna looked up at them with eyes that spit venom and Keith sighed with relief. "Veronica, where have you been? We've been looking for you for almost two hours…."

Veronica kept her hand in Logan's and avoided looking anyone in the face for too long, to avoid the anger, or worse, Lianna's guilt-ridden stare. "Something serious has happened."

"Indeed it has," Stefan agreed, stubbing out a cigarette. He glanced at the valet, received silent confirmation and nodded to them. "Two things dear to me have disappeared this evening. Now that one is back, I have a pretty good idea of where to find the other." Lianna was guzzling down a glass of Scotch, and Veronica was so busy watching in disgust that she missed the secret glances. "Search him."

"Take your coat off, son," The Master-At-Arms and a Steward were on him like flies on feces, taking off the coat and searching him thoroughly.

"Now what?"

"Stefan, what are you doing?" Veronica demanded, tired and exasperated by the entire thing. She had known breaking the news wouldn't be easy, but this was ridiculous. She looked to Keith but he just smiled softly to her, and they both knew he had no authority to stop them, or Stefan's ridiculous display. Even the Master-At-Arms was surprised at first, knowing how wealthy Logan's family was. He was surprised, at least, until he found the necklace. "We're in the middle of an emergency…"

"Is this it?"

"That's it." Stefan took it from the man and Veronica was suddenly silenced. Stefan looked pleased at her expression.

"This is HORSESHIT!" Logan hollered, immediately slapped into irons by the officer. "Don't you believe it, Vee, don't!"

Veronica was honestly perplexed, her brow furrowed as she studied his expression as he denied the crime. "He couldn't have."

"Of course he could." Stefan had circled around the back of her.

"But I was with him the whole time, this is absurd."

"Perhaps he was doing it while you were putting your clothes back on, dear."

Logan was clearly more than disgusted at the notion and he leaned closer to Veronica. "Real slick, Stef. Veronica, they put it in my pocket!"

"Shut up!" Stefan demanded, his glare more menacing than the one he had fixed on Veronica at breakfast.

"It isn't even your pocket, is it, son?" They all looked into the doorway and Veronica nearly vomited when she saw Aaron there, taking the jacket from the steward. "It's mine. I reported this stolen earlier today."

"I just borrowed it, I was going to return it."

Stefan and the men all laughed and Veronica nearly doubled over with sickness. "Oh, we have an honesdt thief here!"

"You know I didn't do this, Veronica. You know me."

She said nothing, because Aaron was probably helping to set up his own son and now she wasn't free from Stefan, she had just given her purity to Logan, and she could only picture Lilly begging her not to let Aaron get away with defiling her. Tears began to pour from her eyes and she collapsed to the floor, clutching her ill belly. "I have important information!"

But none of them noticed her, as usual, they hauled Logan out screaming about his innocence and Aaron left quickly enough. Lianna was too drunk to function by then, so Keith took her to ay her down. "I'll be right back," And he fixed his own glare at Stefan. "We'll all talk in a few minutes, all right?" Stefan nodded stiffly as Veronica used the wall of her room to pull herself to her feet.

Keith returned and they sat on the couch for a while and the two men talked about how things sometimes go, when one becomes a grown-up.

Mr. Andrews could barely hold onto the pile of ship plans in his arms as he hurried into the little room that he was meeting with thee Captain, high officers and Mr. Ismay in. He quickly set them on the table as people encircled it and he rolled them out. "This is most unfortunate, Captain," Mr. Ismay commented.

* * *

"Water 14 feet above the keel in ten minutes…In the forepeak and in all three holds and Boiler Room 6?" One of the younger officers nodded.

"That's right, sir."

"When can we get underway, dammit!" Ismay's impatience finally made Andrews snap.

"That's five compartments!" The other man seemed taken aback, but he went on. "The ship can stay afloat with the first FOUR compartments flooded, but not five. Not five. As she goes down by the head," He started to show them with his fingers against his drawing. "The water will spill over the tops of the bulkheads at E deck, from one to the next, back and back. There's no stopping it."

Captain Smith stared for a moment, and then an idea formed. He pointed, "The pumps, we open the pumps…"

"The pumps buy you time," Andrews assured. "But minutes only. From this moment no matter what we do, Titanic will founder."

Ismay was standing with his mouth wide open and he laughed nervously. "But…this ship can't sink…"

"She's made of iron, sir. I assure you, she can. And she will. It is a mathematical certainty."

Smith was dumbfounded, in thirty years piloting vessels, he had never run into trouble like this, and he knew it was only beginning. Perhaps there was some hope. He looked away from Andrews. "How much time?"

He considered it, and looked sadly at the captain. "An hour. Two at most."

Smith nearly fell off of his feet at that, and he looked at his first officer. "And how many aboard, Mr. Murdoch?"

William Murdoch cleared his throat. "2,200 souls on board, sir."

Smith glanced back to Ismay, who had long since shut up, and looked nervously between them all. "Well, I believe you may get your headlines, Mr. Ismay."

* * *

AN- More this weekend, promise. I'm beat and I have to work tomorrow. Just a couple of things.

I know Stefan is a jerk, and I just wanted to clarify that I'm not a Piz hater (I'm just way over the moon with LoVe). Stefan isn't meant to be a "bad guy", he's an antagonist, but just keep in mind that he loves Veronica too, and his dad is probably a thousand times worse than he is.

Likewise, J. Bruce Ismay isn't intended to be villainized. There was nothing he could have done to stop the sinking, and it wasn't really his fault. A lot of different vairables sunk Titanic, including faults in her design and poor visibility. I know he gets villainized a LOT since he survived in a lifeboat but I just wanted to make sure my lovely readers understand that Captain Smith's order was not correctly interpreted. He only meant for women and children to be loaded into each lifeboat before any remaining men were. Some of his officers (Like Murdoch and I believe Wilde or Lightoller) followed his instructions correctly but many did not, and that's why more then died than women and children. Had his orderes been followed it likely would have been a more even number of each.

Anywho, sinking drama next. Mac and Wallace will feature most from that point on!

And hey, if you review with nothing else, tell me who you want to see live or die!


	6. Chapter 6

Take Her to Sea

Chapter Six

AN- First of all, thanks as always for the feedback and subs! I do appreciate it all, even the constructive criticism, and frankly, I'll admit that I have rushed through a bit. I did start the story with the intention of including minor characters more and it became too much of a scene by scene thing. But the sinking still needs to happen and I do intend to progress past it for a bit, so hopefully those characters that don't get bumped will get more attention there.

I do know who exactly will live and die at this point but I wont share it just yet. You'll find out at the start of chapter eight! Thanks so much for hanging in there, I'm really focused on writing the rest of the story with less of the film incorporated, I'll really only be tossing in info important to the sinking and probably the last few scenes with Mr. Andrews.

* * *

Keith had just left to retire to bed, and Stefan was prepared to do battle with his adulterous fiancee. He had stood to walk over to her and had raised his hand when there was an impatient knock at the door. "Not now, we're busy."

A steward let himself in anyway. "Mr. Piznarski, I've been asked to tell you to please put your lifebelts on and come up to the boat decks."

"I said not now,"

"I'm sorry sir, but it's an order."

Veronica took the opportunity to hurry away from him and slip on a coat. Washed her face of the tears, and take a few deep breaths. It wasn't long before he came to collect her, and drag her with a furious grip to the first class dining saloon. Several people were meandering around, and they all slowly made their way up the stairs, chatting about what sort of drill this must be.

Suddenly, about halfway up, Veronica spotted Mr. Andrews, sulking through the groups of people with an ashen face, and she hurried over to him. "Mr. Andrews!" The band was playing nearby, and it took a moment for him to figure out where she was standing in all of the hub-bub. "I saw the iceberg, and I see it in your eyes. Please tell me the truth."

He was hesitant, his eyes wandered from face to face and he lead her a few inches off to the side. "The ship will sink." He told her gently, but absolutely, his eyes sad, and his hands comforting on her shoulders.

"You're certain."

"In an hour or so." Behind him, Stefan scoffed incredulously.

"What?"

"Tell only who you must, I don't want to be responsible for a panic. Get to a boat, quickly. You remember what I told you about the boats?" There was a sad irony in his voice, and Veronica felt dizzy at the thought. Only enough lifeboats for half the people the ship could carry.

"Yes," She said, patting his arm. "I understand."

"Veronica!" At the sound of her name she swung around and smiled when she spotted Cindy hurrying her way with Cassidy Casablancas on her arm. "Veronica, have you heard!" She leaned in to whisper so no one would hear her. "The ship…it's going to sink!"

"We were listening in over at the Marconi rooms," Cassidy explained with a grave look. "The captain's put out an order for only women and children to board the lifeboats."

"That's strange," Keith said. "Usually in this sort of situation they say women and children in each boat first and then men."

"That's what the officers were saying," Cindy told him softly, she reached to take Veronica's hand, and her fingers were freezing. "We should get to a boat."

"Yes, yes, absolutely, you must," Stefan agreed before she could respond, taking her by her shoulders to lead her up the grand staircase. A few moments waiting in a line and they had reached the boat deck, and could see the first of the boats being lowered haphazardly into the freezing Atlantic below. Veronica felt a numbness that she wasn't sure was being caused by the bitter cold.

Standing there waiting, they saw the first of the distress rockets go off, and silence took over the deck for a moment as most of the people realized what was going to happen. And suddenly it hit her like the iceberg had hit the ship. Logan was far below deck, and if he was left there, he was going to die. For certain. She broke free of Stefan's grasp and hurried to her father.

"We can't leave Logan. . .Daddy, he's a. . .he's not always that nice, but he didn't steal that silly necklace. I know he didn't. Please."

Keith looked down into her pleading face, and suddenly first officer Wilde called for the women in her row to board the boats. He looked at the boat and then around the deck at all of the others. Then took her hand and started to lead her back into the ship.

"Wait!" Lianna was right behind them. "You're both mad, she'll be killed…"

"I'm not going to let an innocent boy die, Lianna."

"There are plenty of boats still, mother."

She seemed to consider this, in her partially drunken stupor and she wandered off toward their suites. Veronica watched her and hurried with Keith down the halls, where they found Mr. Andrews begging people to put their lifebelts on. He spotted them and seemed to turn white. "Veronica, you have to get to a boat, now."

"She will," Keith promised. "Where would the masters-at-arms take people under arrest?"

Andrews frowned deeply. "I just can't let you…."

"I'll do this without both of you, but it'll take longer." Veronica told him with a glare, and he sighed.

"Take the elevator down to the bottom, go to the left. Down the crewman's passage then go right and left again at the stairs. You'll come to a long corridor…"

The father and daughter duo sped off toward the elevators, where a steward was trying to direct everyone away. "I'm sorry, sir, but the lifts are closed."

Keith pulled a Crew member's badge from his pocket and flashed it to him. "We need to go to E deck, dammit, now take us!"

Veronica watched him, with surprise, and then horror as the crewman started to look at her. He turned to her. "Wait right here, okay? I'll bring Logan up. I promise. I can't think up an excuse to take you down right now."

Veronica was so torn between arguing and letting him be that she sighed desperately with a meek nod and went to plop herself into a chair.

* * *

"Mr. Echolls?"

Aaron looked over from where he had been discussing something over brandy with John Jacob Astor and frowned at the steward standing there. "Yes, what the hell do you want?"

"I've been asked to inform you that since the ship is sinking we're required to offer your son his freedom on bail. If you just go to the first class purser's office with me, they'll send someone to fetch him."

"How much bail are we talking?"

"Two-hundred pounds, sir."

Aaron hmmed quietly and took a puff on a cigar, nodded to the stewart. I'll send my wife to take care of it, thank you."

The steward left with a polite bow and Astor laughed. "Here I'm fussing over my damn dog and you have a son locked up below decks. I can't imagine how worried you and your wife must be."

Aaron nodded, but otherwise did not acknowledge the comment, nudging the table. "What say you to a last game of poker, hmm? We can go down having a bit of fun."

* * *

It had been a long time since Keith had gone below deck looking for Logan. The steward had long since returned with a gush of water in the bottom of the elevator and he had run for his life. Veronica jumped when she felt someone touch her shoulder, and looked up at Duncan with surprise.

"You all right?"

She nodded. "My dad went to get Logan…."

"I'm sure they'll be okay." He looked up as someone else approached and smiled down at her. "Veronica, this is Meg."

She looked up at the other blonde, a little taller than her with darker eyes, but a kind smile, and she returned it and nodded to her. "Charmed."

"I'm taking her to a boat, Veronica, do you want an escort?"

"No, no, I'll go when I know he's all right, you go on ahead."

Duncan pointed a finger at her. "If you're still here in ten minutes, I'll drag you."

"I look forward to it," She sassed back with a smile. Duncan and Meg glanced at one another, like they might want to say something else to her, but Meg shook her head and touched Veronica's shoulder. "I've heard so much, and it was lovely to meet you. Good luck."

"Thank you, you as well."

They waked away holding hands and Veronica watched with a wry smile, stood with a sigh. What was taking so long? Had they both drowned already? Had Stefan run into them? She felt her belly knot up with worry, and didn't even notice that she was about to slam into someone as she paced. When her side made contact she automatically put her hands out to keep herself steady.

The man was African American, and her age, and if she recalled correctly from Stefan's dinner table side chatter, he was one of only four colored people on the ship. She smiled nervously. "I apologize. I didn't see you…"

"I think we're all in a bit of a tizzy, ma'am." His voice was gentle, and polite. She smiled at him and he smiled back. And suddenly the air was a little warmer, like she were chatting with an old friend. "Beggin' your pardon, but shouldn't you be running for a boat?"

"Probably. I'm waiting for uh…" Her lover? Her friend? "My fiance."

"Wouldn't wait too long, miss, I just put my wife and my mama and brother on a boat. They're not taking boys over 14 any more."

Veronica frowned at that, that meant Logan and Duncan would be denied seats too. She clasped his hand briefly. "Well, I hope a kind officer will get you a seat anyway. I'll be heading off that way myself, sir, please do your best to survive."

"You're very kind," He patted her hand. "I'm Wallace Fennel."

"Veronica Mars."

Just as he was going to wish her good luck, she heard him. "Veronica!"

"Logan!" She darted across the lobby to be swept up by him and sighed with relief, almost brought to tears by the sight. "Oh God, I was so worried…I'm so sorry…."

"That guy put it in my pocket…"

"I know!" Keith was right behind him, and they were both soaked halfway to their chests.

"I need to make sure Lianna found her way to a boat, Logan, please get Veronica on one too."

Logan nodded, bending to kiss her briefly before he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "C'mon kiddo. We need to get you off this ship."


End file.
